The three-day conference brought together a wide range of participants to discuss the challenges and opportunities of regional governance. Among the approximately 30 participants were several chairpersons of Albanian regions, their employees as well as representatives of universities, companies and civil society. The first part of the event focused on various input presentations and, in particular, on intensive work in small groups. The main challenges for regional governance in Albania were identified by the groups as unclear responsibilities and legal frameworks as well as a lack of resources. At the same time, however, various fields were identified where, progress could already be achieved with the current framework conditions, for example through intensified exchange or international networking. The event was rounded off by a panel discussion in which Romina Kuko, Deputy Minister of the Interior, Lukas Mandl MEP and Mateo Spaho, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Lurasi University, among others, exchanged views on the importance of regional governance and the need for further reforms. The discussion, as well as previous presentations, were accompanied by lively participation of the participants. The conference succeeded in bringing together different actors with influence on regional governance in Albania in order to identify and formulate further steps for decentralization and strengthening of the regions.
